The New York and New Jersey-based outlet Gothamist reports Democratic candidates in the Garden State are clamoring to run in what both parties see as competitive races in next year’s midterm elections. But the same cannot be said for the GOP.
“In a cycle when both parties have their eyes on the House majority, up to a dozen candidates are lining up to run on the Democratic side in key New Jersey congressional races, compared to just one or two from the GOP,” Gothamist reports, as Republicans anticipate “a wave election, and not in their favor.”
“When you have a party that has lots of really good candidates jumping out of the gate and chomping at the bit, that’s usually an indication that they think the party has good chances,” said Micah Rasmussen, director of Rider University’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics. “When you don’t see people coming out of the woodwork, that’s an indication that the candidates believe that the party is not going to have as good a shot.”
While there’s still time to file for the midterm elections, political experts say that any serious candidate from both parties should have at least hinted at running by now, but the sound is muted over on the GOP team. It’s conventional wisdom to expect the president’s party to struggle in the midterms, but races in the swingy 7th, 9th and 11th congressional districts in North Jersey have few Republican contenders.
In the 9th District, Democratic Rep. Nellie Pou is considered vulnerable, yet Pou has just two Republicans running against her. One has raised just $16,000, according to campaign finance records. The other’s grassroots organization endorsed Pou in the last election. Similarly, New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District is anything but safe for Democrats. Nevertheless, there are 13 Democratic candidates running, and only one Republican. Even New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District — a district Trump won by two points — has nine Democrats challenging its single Republican incumbent.
Dan Cassino, professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University, said qualified Republican candidates “are going to bide their time and wait for an election in ‘28 or ‘30 when they think they’ve got a better chance.”
Kristopher Shields, director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor at Rutgers University, said putting off a run until a future race can spare Republican candidates from having to align with President Donald Trump.
“… [T]here may be individual candidates who say, ‘You know what, I’m comfortable with where I am for now. Let’s see where this is all going,’” Shields said.
Read the Gothamist report at this link.
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